Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Starts “Countdown To Fairness”

Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and the Mothers of the NY Disappeared are putting pressure on the city of New York, setting a June 4th deadline demanding the repeal of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. The coalition hopes to set a precedent for the repeal of similar laws that have been established in other states […]

Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network

and the Mothers of the NY Disappeared are putting pressure on the city of New

York, setting a June 4th deadline demanding the repeal of the Rockefeller Drug

Laws.

The coalition hopes to set a precedent for the

repeal of similar laws that have been established in other states since Nelson

Rockefeller proposed the laws in 1973. The laws require mandatory prison terms,

up to life, for possession or sale of small amounts of drugs.

"Do you know how important this is to hip-hop?"

Simmons asked Allhip-hop.com. "We are going to shut the city down."

Simmons said ‘The Countdown to Fairness’ is the

broadest coalition ever assembled on the issue of the drug laws. "The hip-hop

community’s active involvement will help Governor Pataki and other state officials

to see and feel the will of the people as we demand the repeal of these wack

laws," he said.

The countdown has already garnered the support

of a wide ranging group of political activists and entertainers. US Senators

Hilary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, US Congressman Charles Rangel, Elijah Cummings,

John Conyers, Gregory Meeks, Ed Towns, Major Owens, Congresswoman Maxine Waters

and Former Senator Carol Mosley Braun are among the political heavyweights that

support repealing the laws.

"I don’t think it’s fair that a young person

coming up could make a simple mistake and it can affect their entire lives,

preventing them from evolving and moving forward," said Damon Dash, CEO

of Roc-A-Fella Records. "It’s also unfair that minorities are the main

people who suffer in these situations. We need to repeal these laws so we can

become better people and grow instead of locking these people up and throwing

away the key."

The Diplomats and Ghost Face have all pledged

support and are now doing public service announcements on radio and television

on this issue.

"We intend to involve thousands of concerned

youth on this vital issue," said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President of the

hip-hop Summit Action Network. "The momentum will build everyday through

the ‘Countdown To Fairness.’ hip-hop culture has already shown that the energy,

vitality and voice of the young will not be silenced as we move to put an end

to these dumb laws."